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極

極 — extreme, pole, extremely

Learn the correct stroke order for 極 (extreme), a 12-stroke kanji.

JLPT N2Grade 412 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 12
On'yomi (音読み)キョクkyoku、ゴクgoku
Kun'yomi (訓読み)きわ.めるkiwameru、きわ.まるkiwamaru、きわ.まりkiwamari、きわ.みkiwami、き.めるkimeru、-ぎ.めgime、き.まるkimaru
Strokes12
Radical木
Frequency#460
Meaningsextreme, pole, extremely, very, highly, most, end, settlement, conclusion, highest rank

Step-by-Step Diagram

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Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 12 — start from the green dot

Common Words

究極きゅうきょくultimate; final; lastnoun
極みきわみheight; acme; extremitynoun
極右きょくうfar right (in politics); extreme right; ultrarightnoun
極楽ごくらくSukhavati (Amitabha's Pure Land)noun
極寒ごっかんextreme cold; intense cold; coldest seasonnoun
極限きょくげんutmost limits; extremitynoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 極 (extreme) is taught in grade 4 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N2 level. It has 12 strokes with radical 木.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 極 is #460, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

究極きゅうきょく — ultimate; final; last
極みきわみ — height; acme; extremity
極右きょくう — far right (in politics); extreme right; ultraright

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (木)

木tree本book末end未un-札tag朴crude机desk朱vermilion

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 極 have?

The kanji 極 (extreme) has 12 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 極?

極 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 極 mean?

極 means: extreme, pole, extremely, very, highly, most, end, settlement, conclusion, highest rank. On'yomi readings: キョク, ゴク. Kun'yomi readings: きわ.める, きわ.まる, きわ.まり, きわ.み, き.める, -ぎ.め, き.まる.

What JLPT level is 極?

極 is a JLPT N2 kanji. This is an advanced kanji.